Hoop-cutting machine



(Ho Model. 3 Sheets-Sheet I;

N. PAIROHILD. HOOP GUTTING MACHINE.

No. 568,435. Patented Sept. 29, 1896 (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

N. N FAIRGHILD. HOOP CUTTING MACHINE.

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3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

(N0 Model.)

NQ-FLIROHILD. HOOP CUTTING MAUHINB.

Patented Sept. 29, 1896.

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UNITED STATES PATENT @FFICE.

NEWELL N. FAIROHILD, or WYANDOTTE, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO D. H, BURRELL-& 00., or LITTLE FALLS, NEW YORK.

HOOP-CUTTING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 568,435, datedSeptember 29, 1896. Application filed October 16, 1894:. Serial No.526,021. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, NEWELL N. FAIRCHILD, a citizen of the United States,residing at XVyandotte, in the county of Wayne and State of Michigan,have invented a new and useful Improvement in Hoop-Cutting Machines, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to the feed mechanism of that class of machinesfor cutting barrel-hoops from the surface of a log which containreciprocating knives to which the log is fed by turning the log, thefeed mechanism being provided with intermittently-moving feed-wheelswhich impinge against the surface of the log and so turn the same. Insome machines of this character the feed-wheels have heretofore beenintermittently rotated by a ratchet mechanism which was moved forwardlyby a cam and backwardly by a spring, which was compressed during theforward movement of the cam. This construction is undesirable forseveral reasons-for instance, because the feed mechanism is liable to beoperated irregularly by reason of lost motion, which results in theproduction of hoops of unequal thickness, and because considerable poweris required for compressing the spring.

The object of my invention is to produce a feed mechanism for this classof machines which is free from these objectionable features and which issimple and compact in construction.

In the accompanying drawings, consisting of three sheets, Figure 1 is afragmentary rear elevation of a hoop-cutting machine provided with myimproved feed mechanism. Figs. 2 and 3 are vertical cross-sections inlines 2 2 and 3 3, Fig. 1, respectively. Fig. lisadiagram illustratingthe movement of the feedpawl with reference to the teeth of thefeedratchet. Fig. 5 is a sectional front elevation, on a reduced scale,of a hoop-cutting machine provided with my improvements. Fig. 6 is anend elevation thereof. Fig. 7 is a horizontal section in line 7 7, Fig.5. Fig. 8 is a fragmentary transverse section showing the manner ofguiding the bearing of the vertically-movable feedshaft.

Like letters of reference refer to like parts in the several figures.

A A represent the two uprights or standards of the main frame, and B thehorizontal beam connecting the upper ends of the same.

0 C representthe horizontal centering spindles or mandrels, which arecapable of rotary and vertical movement in the standards, and whichsupport the log 0 at its ends.

D represents the radially-moving knife, and

E the tangentially-moving knife, whereby each hoop is severed from thelog.

F represents the rotary feed-wheels, arranged in rear of the knives andprovided with peripheral spurs which engage with the surface of the logand turn the same intermittently for feeding the log toward the knivesin the direction of the arrow in Fig. 2. These feed-wheels are mountedon a feed-shaft f, which is arranged parallel with the log at a shortdistance above the upper rear portion thereof and journaled with itsends in sliding bearings G. The latter are guided in ways g, secured tothe standards, and permit the feed-shaft and feed-wheels to descendtoward the center of the log as its diameter is gradually reduced bycutting off hoops from its surface and also permit each end of thefeedshaft to rise and fall independently of the other as the feed-wheelsadjust themselves to irregularities in the surface of the log.

H represents the feed-lever, pivoted with its lower end on thefeed-shaft and provided with a pawl h, which engages with a ratchetwheelI, secured to the feed-shaft.

J represents a rock-arm pivoted with its lower end in bearings J,secured to the beam at the front thereof, and j is a connecting-rodconnected at its ends by ball-and-socket joints with the upper ends ofthe feed-lever and rock-arm. K represents the horizontal driving-shaftof the feed mechanism, journaled in bearings arranged on the main framein rear of the beam, and provided at its inner end with a crank k bywhich the feed-lever is actuated. This crank is connected with the upperend of the rock arm J by a connectingrod L, which extends 011 one sideof the rockarm, while the connecting-rod 9' stands on the other sidethereof, both being connected to the rock-arm by the same bolt or pin Z.

The driving-shaft of the feed mechanism makes the same number ofrevolutions which the main driving-shaft of the machine makes, by whichthe knives are actuated, and the rotary movement of the feeddriving-shaft produces an oscillating movement of the feedlever by thecrank, roclcarm, and connecting-rods.

M represents a detent-arm mounted loosely with its lower end on thefeed-shaft and provided with a detent-pawl on, which engages with aratchet-wheel N secured to the feed shaft.

0 is a bracket secured with its lower end to the top of the beam, and oare connectingrods which are connected at their ends by balland-socketjoints with the upper ends of the detent-arm and the bracket. After thefeedshaft and feed-wheels have been turned forward by the feed-lever theshaft and feedwheels are held against backward movement with said leverby the pawl of the detent-arm engaging with the detent ratchet-wheel.The feed-shaft and its feed-wheels tilt in adjusting themselves to anyunevenness of the surface of the log. The ball-andsocket connection ofthe rods connecting the detent-arnl with the bracket and the feed-leverwith the rock-aru1 prevent these parts from becoming cramped when eitherend of the shaft moves up or down independently of the other.

The movement of the feed driving-shaftis so timed that it makes onecomplete revolution during one complete cycle of operations of thehoop-cutting machine. The cutting and feeding operations are performed.by the machine in the usual way in such manner that the radial cut ofthe hoop is effected during the first third of the revolution of saidshaft, the tangential cut during the next third of the revolution, andthat during the last third of a revolution both the radial andtangential knives are out of engagement with the log, and the turningand feeding of the same are effected for bringing the log in positionfor cutting the next hoop.

I11 order to prevent the constantly-moving crank from turning the logduring its period of rest, which covers about two-thirds of a revolutionof the feed driving-shaft, the crank and connecting parts are so timedand proportioned that the pawl of the feed-lever is idle during thefirst and second thirds of the revolution of the driving-shaft andeifective during the last third of a revolution. This is accomplished bygiving the crank a throw sufliciently in excess of what is necessary tomove the feed-pawl forward and backward one tooth of the feedratchet-wl1eel to produce this result. During the time that the radialknife effects its out the feed-pawl moves backward the extent of onetooth, or from w to w in Fig. 4. During the time that the tangentialknife effects its out the feed-pawl continues to travel backward over aportion of the next tooth, but not far enough to take into this tooth,from w to g and then moves forward idle from 3 to a,

when the tangential knife has cleared the log. The feed-pawl thenstrikes the tooth, and during the last portion of its forward movement,from ,2 to 00, re mains in en gagemen t with the tooth and turns thefeed ratchetwheel the extent of one tooth. In other words, while thefeed driving-shaft is mak ing the first and second thirds of itsrevolution the feed-pawl is making its entire backward movement and theidle portion of its forward movement, and during the third or lastportion of the revolution of the feed driving-shaft the feed-pawl isactive and turns the log.

The driving mechanism, whereby the cutters and the feed mechanism areoperated at the proper time to produce the above-described result, maybeof any suitable construction, the preferred 1116t111S S110W11 in thedrawings) being constructed as follows:

P represents the main driving'shai't,which is journaled transversely inbearings 1), arranged at one end of the main frame, and provided at itsrear end with a driving-pulley 19'. Motion is transmitted from the mainshaft to the feed-shaft K by an upright shaft Q, journaled in bearings gon the main frame and connected at its lower end with the main shaft bya pair of bevel gear-wheels q (f and connected at its upper end with thefeedshaft by a pair of bevel gear-wheels q q", as represented in Fig. 6.

The upper or radial knife D is secured to a supporting bar or plate R,which is supported by a pair of links r, pivoted with their lower endsto the bar R and journaled with their upper ends in bearings mounted onthe beam 15, as represented in Fig. 5. Upon moving the radial knife andits supportingbar lengthwise its supporting-links carry the same towardand from the surface of the log for producing a radial shearing cut.This lengthwise movement of the radial knife is effected by means of acrank-disk S, secured to the front end of the main shaft and connectedwith the radial-knife-supporting bar by a connecting'rod s, as shown inFig. 5.

The lower or tangential knife E is secured to a horizontal bar or plateT, which rests upon the main frame in front of the stand ards A A andwhich is guided in oblique ways, so that upon reciprocating the bar Tlength wise the lower knife will be moved toward and from the log forproducing the tangential cut in the surface of the log. These obliqueways may be made in any suitable and wellknown manner, a simpleconstruction for this purpose consisting of oblique slots 6, formed inthe lower knife-supportin g bar, and bolts t, secured to the main frameand engaging with the slots of said bar, as shown in Fig. 7. lengthwise-reciprocating movement of the lower knife-supporting bar is produced bya crank-disk i connected by a rodt with one end of said bar. Thiscrank-disk is secured The to the front end of a counter-shaft i, whichit is journalcd lengthwise below the main shaft in bearings on the mainframe and which is driven from the main shaft by a pair of gearwheels 25t.

The centering-spindles C are operated for centering the log and areautomatically raised for carrying the log gradually toward the knives asthe hoops are cut away from the surface thereof by the followingmechanism: U represents vertically-movable carriages in which thespindles are journaled and which slide in vertical ways it, formed onthe standards A. u represents feed-screws whereby the carriages areraised and lowered. Each of these feed-screws is provided at its upperend with a bevel gear-Wheel which meshes with a bevel gear-wheel 10secured to the adjacent spindle. The upper portion of each feed-screw isjournaled in a bearing in the adjacent carriage, but compelled to movevertically therewith, while its lower externallyscrew-threaded portionengages with a stationary screw-nut 11 secured to the lower portion ofthe standard. Upon turning the log forwardly by means of the feed-wheelsF for presenting a new portion of the log to the knives the rotation ofits spindles is transmitted to the feed-screws by the bevel gearwheels,which causes the feed-screws to work against the screw-nuts and lift thelog, thereby causing the hoops to be cut off from the log in a spiralpath from the outer side of the log toward the center thereof. One ofthe centering-spindles is capable of axial movement toward and from theother spindle for centering the log in any usual and well-known manner.As shown in Fig. 5, this adjustment is effected by an adjustingscrew-nut o, arranged upon a screw-threaded portion '0 of the adjustablespindle and held in the carriage against lengthwise movement with thespindle, so that upon turning the adj ustingscrew the spindle will bemoved lengthwise in the carriage. The bevel gear-wheel of the adjustablespindle is held against lengthwise movement therewith, but compelled toturn therewith, by akey or spline 12 engaging with with a longitudinalgroove in the adjustable spindle.

I claim as my invention- 1. In a hoop-cutting machine, the combinationwith a radial knife and a tangential knife and mechanism whereby saidknives are caused to cut successively, of a feed-shaft provided withfeed-wheels which impinge against the log and with a ratchet-wheel, afeed-lever provided with a pawl which engages with said ratchet-wheel,and a drivingcrank connected with said feed-lever and imparting to thesame a backward movement in excess of one tooth and a subsequent idleforward movement durin g the cutting periods of both knives and aforward feed movement during the period in which both knives aredisengaged from the log, substantially as set forth.

2. In a hoop-cutting machine, the combination with the feed-shaftprovided with feed wheels which impinge against the log and with aratchet-wheel, of a feed-lever mounted loosely on said shaft andprovided with a pawl which engages with said ratchet-wheel, adriving-shaft arranged above said feed-shaft and parallel therewith, acrank mounted on said driving-shaft, a rock-arm arranged in rear of thefeed and driving shafts, a connectingrod extending from saiddrivingcrank rearwardly to said rock-arm, and a connecting-rod extendingfrom said rock-arm forwardly to said feed-lever, substantially as setforth.

Witness my hand this 4th day of October,

NEWELL N. FAIROHILD. Witnesses:

R. B. BURRELL, G. W. MARTIN.

